Virginia Jeffreys Darden

September 8, 2012

Virginia Jeffreys Darden, 88, died Sept. 8, 2012, in Nansemond Pointe Rehabilitation and Rehab Center.

Mrs. Darden was born in Alamance County, N.C., on April 5, 1924, the daughter of Harvey Augustus and Sandra McBane Jeffreys. She was a 1940 graduate of Pleasant Grove High School and a 1944 graduate of Elon University. It was at Elon University that she met her husband, James Fenton Darden, whom she married on Feb. 28, 1944.

Virginia and Jimmy first lived in Elon College and moved to Suffolk in 1952. She was a homemaker who became very involved in the Suffolk community. She was active in the education of her children and their school PTAs.

Mrs. Darden’s volunteer work included Suffolk Community Chest, the Suffolk Junior Women’s Club, the Suffolk Chapter of the American Cancer Society, and the Louise Obici Memorial Hospital Auxiliary. She was president of the Auxiliary and a longtime volunteer in the gift shop.
Mrs. Darden became a member of the Suffolk Christian Church after her move to Suffolk. She served the church as Sunday School class officer and held various committee chairmanships and was a member of the Women’s Fellowship, which she had served as president.

Her love of flower arranging led to her membership in the Constantia and Riverview Garden Clubs. She was also a member of the Sans Souci Book Club and various bridge clubs.

In 1960, Mrs. Darden was named “Mother of the Year” by the Suffolk News-Herald. She loved to entertain and hosted many parties, meetings, clubs, and bridge at her home. She was most proud of starting the traditional Darden Family Christmas Eve dinner, which she hosted for more than 30 years.
Mrs. Darden was preceded in death by her husband, Jimmy, and her brother, Harvey Augustus Jeffreys Jr.

She is survived by her four children, Brenda Darden Kincaid and her husband Doug; Alice Darden Nicks and her husband John; Nancy Darden Esber and her husband Dale; and James F. Darden Jr. and his wife Laura; 13 grandchildren and 21 great-grandchildren. She is also survived by her sister, Jo Ann Jeffreys Robertson; her brother and sister-in-law David and Dorothy Darden; and numerous nieces and nephews.
A Memorial Service will be held at 2 p.m. on Monday, September 17, in Suffolk Christian Church and the Rev. Michael Halley will officiate. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Suffolk Christian Church Memorial Fund, P. O. Box 1457, Suffolk, Virginia 23439, or to the James Fenton Darden Scholarship Fund, Elon University, Office of Institutional Advancement, 2600 Campus Box, Elon, North Carolina 27244. Condolences may be registered online at www.parrfuneralhome.com